Guess who is number 1 ???

[okclee]

"There are towns with cowboys and then there are cowboy towns. Full of rich Old West history, the latter is definitely more interesting. These are towns where you’ll surely find guys who look like Sam Elliott in The Big Lebowski, only instead of living out of their element in a big city like Los Angeles, they’re right at home. In these hoedown centers, the spirit of the Wild West is alive and well."


AskMen.com - Top 10 cowboy towns

[Karried]

Well, at least they didn't mention the Cow Patty Tossing contest.

I was preparing to be mortified but actually wasn't, great pic and nice article.. okay, we'll take what we can get.

[jbrown84]

How hilarious is it that Fort Worth people are getting all jealous about this?

So because they have the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, they should beat us out?

[Kerry]

Ft Worth Motto: Rode Hard - Put Away Wet

[okclee]

Okc motto = The Big Friendly Cowboy.

[PUGalicious]

How embarrassing!

[Millie]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what is "embarrassing" or "mortifying" about being selected for this list. The article said some flattering things.

It seems that several of the people who have issues with the cowboy association (and the state bird, and other things that are very much a part of our culture) are non-native Oklahomans. If you fall into that category, please take some time to try to appreciate OKC- and OK in general- for our heritage and what we are. I have a hard time understanding people who move here for five or ten years and decide that they want to overhaul our image and values.

[redland]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what is "embarrassing" or "mortifying" about being selected for this list. The article said some flattering things.

It seems that several of the people who have issues with the cowboy association (and the state bird, and other things that are very much a part of our culture) are non-native Oklahomans.

Well, it probably matters only to me, but for the record I am native born and bred and I stand with Pug!
:

[Karried]

I think OK has been trying really hard to improve the image of the state for various reasons. Getting large corporations to locate here and bring their tax dollars, jobs and housing needs, improve the economy ( higher paying jobs, combating poverty, keeping college grads here, public service improvements .. etc,
etc, etc ) all depend on a positive image of the state..... with a rejuvenated, vibrant downtown/Bricktown area it's hard to sit idly by and see that we are still considered a 'cowtown'... throw in a watermelon as a state veggie, a flycatching bird on our quarter.. it's discouraging.

It doesn't matter if we are born here or not.. we live here now and have a vested interest in how people perceive our home.

[Cid]

I seriously fear the day when Oklahoma City gets so big that it's just like any other city. Unfortunately, it's a byproduct of progress.

[Doug Loudenback]

I stand with those who see this "recognition" as being "good," "worthwhile," and "deserved."

I find NO embarrasment, and only pride, in being selected the #1 "Cowboy" town in the USA ...

Number 1 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

You may wonder how a big city can be considered a cowboy town. The population of Oklahoma City is over half a million, and that doubles if you include the suburbs. There aren’t many places that can pull off being a cowboy town with such a massive population, but OKC does. For starters, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is there and the city is billed as the Horse Show Capital of the World. So even though it’s a city by name, there’s no denying it’s a cowboy town at heart. Throughout the year, there’s the annual Chuck Wagon Gathering & Children’s Cowboy Festival, Western Heritage Awards and plenty of rodeos. If you still have doubts, wander around Stockyards City (it is what the name implies) and have a meal at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse.

While I'd likely find another restaurant to dine in (several, actually), note that the pic these people included was the Bricktown Canal, above. And, what's not to like in the post ... Okc being referred to as a "big city" ... the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum ... Horse Show Capital of the World ...

I'm personally proud of ALL these things (and much more), and I'm glad for Okc to be dubbed as the "#1 Cowboy Town" in the United States of America! We can accept that label while, at the same time, be many other things at the same time, as well.

So, "Where's the Beef?" Our roots ARE involved with "cowboys" (among others) ... like Charles Colcord who was a cowboy "lawman" before he came to Okc, was the 1st Okc police chief, before he struck it rich and built the Colcord (now Colcord Hotel) and Biltmore Hotel (now gone), among other of his credits ... as well as many other "cowboys" which are part of city's rich history and legacy.

So, what IF we are called as KarrieD noted, "City ranks 13th on list of top business sites," etc? See http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-are...ess-sites.html . Our "cowboy" heritage is also real. Our "cowboy" contemporary presence is real, too. So, what's the problem? This kind of stuff is an indelible part our history, and a part of what makes this city cool and unique, today. I, for one, would not like it if ... it were ignored, or it was blotted out in a revisionist history, altogether. It's all a part of who "we", as Oklahoma Citians, "are." Proud ... and proud of ALL of our heritage and the recognition that we are garnering as time goes on.

You want to be "just" urban"? This is not the place ... maybe Chicago or New York would be more akin to your fancies ... but this place started out as an 1889 land run town, complete with cowboys, cows, etc., and it is a part of who "we are," like it or not. These "cowboys" layed the bedrock for the city today.

Why should we not embrace ALL of our heritage, including the "cowboy" part? It's part of who "we", as a city, "are."

For me, I'm more than happy to accept accolades that might come our way including those which speak to our "cowboy heritage," and just say, to those who notice, "Thanks!"

[floater]

I seriously fear the day when Oklahoma City gets so big that it's just like any other city. Unfortunately, it's a byproduct of progress.

I think this is cool. As far as getting too big, no matter how much bigger OKC gets, it is still a cowtown at heart. Progress can make OKC only better and appeal to a wider span of people. But even sophisticated newcomers know that Stockyards City and the Western Heritage center are a big part of what OKC is about.

[okclee]

I like being number one on this list as well. I am far from a cowboy, although I am a native Oklahoman being born and raised in Okc. I have never worn boots or a hat, never drove a tractor or had a farm, never gone hunting, only fished a few times, don't like camping, rode a horse once, I am completely city through and through.

I think that cowboys are cool, especially in the movies. I like indians too. Soon we will have the Native American Indian History Museum, that will only add to the Wild West of Okc.

Maybe I will get a pair of boots and a hat and head on over to the Saloon.

[Doug Loudenback]

I like being number one on this list as well. I am far from a cowboy, although I am a native Oklahoman being born and raised in Okc. I have never worn boots or a hat, never drove a tractor or had a farm, never gone hunting, only fished a few times, don't like camping, rode a horse once, I am completely city through and through.

I think that cowboys are cool, especially in the movies. I like indians too. Soon we will have the Native American Indian History Museum, that will only add to the Wild West of Okc.

Maybe I will get a pair of boots and a hat and head on over to the Saloon.

Doug Dawg may just get a pair of boots and join you at the Saloon for a shot of whatever it is that it might have available! If it is a "saloon" that is "contemporary" to the time, it might not be very tasty, but, I'll have it with you, regardless.

I went to Cattleman's several years back and tried out their "brains" for a breakfast item ... a serious mistake. But, that's part of our history, too. It might not be the "best" place to eat a steak these days, but, it does carry on some elements of our history that no place else does.

[Millie]

I think this is cool. As far as getting too big, no matter how much bigger OKC gets, it is still a cowtown at heart. Progress can make OKC only better and appeal to a wider span of people. But even sophisticated newcomers know that Stockyards City and the Western Heritage center are a big part of what OKC is about.

Well said, floater.

[okclee]

Number 1 Cowboy town and number 13 Forbes business city, all in the same week.

10-Deadwood, South Dakota
9-Miles City, Montana
8-Sheridan, Wyoming
7-Dodge City, Kansas
6-Makawao, Hawaii
5-Elko, Nevada
4-Tombstone, Arizona
3-White Oaks, New Mexico
2-Bandera, Texas

Number 1
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
You may wonder how a big city can be considered a cowboy town. The population of Oklahoma City is over half a million, and that doubles if you include the suburbs. There aren’t many places that can pull off being a cowboy town with such a massive population, but OKC does. For starters, the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is there and the city is billed as the Horse Show Capital of the World. So even though it’s a city by name, there’s no denying it’s a cowboy town at heart. Throughout the year, there’s the annual Chuck Wagon Gathering & Children’s Cowboy Festival, Western Heritage Awards and plenty of rodeos. If you still have doubts, wander around Stockyards City (it is what the name implies) and have a meal at Cattlemen’s Steakhouse.

[fsusurfer]

..

[fsusurfer]

I think thats a pretty cool distinction! I don't think OKC will ever be perceived as a chic urban metropolis throughout the nation. OKC's roots lie in the western "cowboy" culture, and that will always remain. This article sheds a postive light on OKC which is a good thing!

[Misty]

So where are the best places to go to find these cowboys and share cocktails? Ha ha. I've always loved men in boots. And hats. And big ole' belt buckles. I can't help myself. Glad to know OKC has lots of them.

[jbrown84]

I'm with Doug on this one.

And I think there's a big difference between being called a "Cowboy Town" and being called a "cowtown".

[Stinger]

I like being number one on this list as well. I am far from a cowboy, although I am a native Oklahoman being born and raised in Okc. I have never worn boots or a hat, never drove a tractor or had a farm, never gone hunting, only fished a few times, don't like camping, rode a horse once, I am completely city through and through.

I think that cowboys are cool, especially in the movies. I like indians too. Soon we will have the Native American Indian History Museum, that will only add to the Wild West of Okc.

Maybe I will get a pair of boots and a hat and head on over to the Saloon.

I'm with ya. See you at the stockyards!

[BDP]

I agree, jbrown84. It's also not like they called us a hick town, though many would immediately associate the two. The angle of this write up is that OKC is a cowboy town despite its city setting and size. The reality is that this element brings a lot of money to the city. Really what this amounts to is that OKC is the most successful cowboy town.

I also think being number one on this list, along with the reasons why, reinforces why we need to do more to offer some contrasting lifestyle opportunities. Not to spite the cowboy cutlture that thrives in the city, but to expand on Oklahoma City's character. While every city may have its strengths and weaknesses, all major cities are very well diversified. No expansion of Oklahoma City's culture needs to be at the expense of any other cutltural elements already ingrained in the area. We all know we have plenty of room for just about anything.

I would like to see better thought and planning going into what and where things are developed in the city. I think Stockyards City is a nice little enclave, but for being the #1 cowboy city, it could be better. If it could attract things like Toby Keith's (much more appropraite, imo) or even a cool rustic hotel or something, I think it could grow to not only better itself, but be a center for our cowboy culture where all of our future focus of expanding and capitalizing on our cowboy status could be concentrated.

[Misty]

Funny story, when I moved here the first time in 1998 I worked at UMB downtown, my co-workers took me to the UMB Stockyards branch and then were taking me to lunch at Cattleman’s for the first time. They all said “hey make sure you try the lamb fries” and my response was “oh, I don’t like lamb”, I had no idea why everyone was laughing hysterically until I got to the restaurant. Still haven’t tried them but I hear they are delicious. Might have to share a plate of them with a cowboy.

[jbrown84]

I agree I think we should not be ashamed of the cowboy culture, but I would prefer things like the OKC CVB logo not be based on it.

[HFK]

"10-Deadwood, South Dakota"

Good God, can't believe that Deadwood made the cut. Anyone been there lately? A buddy of mine that was stationed near there 20 years or so ago while in the military, and when he heard I was taking a roadtrip to Custer's Battleground, Devil's Tower, and Rushmore, he suggested I spend some time in Deadwood. I called in a reservation to the old hotel there (The Franklin?). The hotel and the entire main strip was a giant disappointment: it had changed entirely from an quaint and picturesque mountain mining town to a gaudy casino town. The hotel was dirty and very overpriced. All but one of the old bars were full of flashing ringing clanging slot machines. What a waste...

You'll occasionally here me disagree with suggestions, made here, to bring gambling to Bricktown. Deadwood, among other towns, is one of the reasons why. It seems that, at least in our country, gambling often brings with it a tacky, gaudy, slimy taint, and Deadwood is living proof of that. Yeah, that town is making a ton of money, but it's certainly sold it's soul...

"8-Sheridan, Wyoming"

Now Sheirdan is a nice town. Check out the Mint Bar if you ever get up that way: the furniture is made out of knotty pine.

As to OKC being the #1 Cowtown,, we should definitely celebrate that honor. Cowboy culture is appreciated all over the world. The English in-laws of a co-worker of mine visitied Oklahoma years ago and they were desperate to see Cowboy and Indian sorts of things. Once, while walking through London's Gatwick Airport, I had a conversation with an Englishman who, upon hearing that I lived in Oklahoma, eagerly volunteered that he was amemebr of some sort of English Western/Cowboy club. He spoke enthusiastically of America, and Western culture. Sergio Leone, an Italian, made some of the best Westerns movies ever made. Oklahoma and Texas are known by folks all over the world as Cowboy and Indian country.

We should embrace, rather than scorn, Oklahoma heritage. Our past, particularly our extremely unique status as "Indian Territory" or "The Indian Nations" is very valuable, and not merely in a cultural sense: Tourists, and their money, are drawn here by it.